Nancy Corbett Dillon, 1924-2011

College tennis star went on to become high school teacher, River Forest village trustee

November 23, 2011|By Joan Giangrasse Kates, Special to the Tribune

Nancy Corbett Dillon was an accomplished tennis player who during college played with the likes of Jack Kramer and Shirley Fry and whose accomplishments on the court included a 1943 U.S. National Clay Court doubles title.

Widowed at age 32 with five sons under age 8, Mrs. Dillon taught social studies to grade school and later high school students for nearly three decades. After retiring from teaching, she was elected a River Forest village trustee at age 65 and served for 20 years until 2009.

"Nancy was everything you'd want in a public servant," said Frank Paris, River Forest village president from 1993 to 2003. "She was hardworking, thoughtful and very outspoken. There was never any doubt as to what she was thinking. But she was also someone who'd quietly sit back and listen to what others had to say."

Mrs. Dillon, 87, died of complications from cancer Saturday, Nov. 19, in her River Forest home.

In addition to teaching at Proviso East and Proviso West high schools, Mrs. Dillon taught tennis for decades.

"I think half the people in River Forest learned tennis from her," said her daughter-in-law Sandra Dillon. "She was a wonderful player and teacher."

Born in Chicago, the former Nancy Corbett was 5 when her family moved to Oak Park. She was a graduate of Trinity High School in River Forest, where in her freshman year she began playing tennis, even though at the time it was not an organized sport.

"She was 14 years old the first time she picked up a racket, and that changed her life," said her youngest son, Jack.

Mrs. Dillon rose through the ranks to become one of the top-ranked junior players in the country and received a full scholarship to Rollins College in Florida, a haven for tennis players, including such greats as Kramer and Fry.

In 1943, she teamed with Pauline Betz, a college teammate from Los Angeles, to win the U.S. National Clay Court Championships in Detroit. Mrs. Dillon almost made it a sweep at the tournament but lost to Betz in the women's singles final.

During her years competing, Mrs. Dillon also played against Fry, who at one point was ranked No. 1 in the world.

Mrs. Dillon returned to the Chicago area after college and worked for a short time at the Leo Burnett advertising agency as a researcher before marrying Robert Dillon, her high school sweetheart and a cardiologist, in 1948. He died in 1956 apparently of a heart attack.

"Suddenly she was the sole parent of five children, the youngest just a year old," her daughter-in-law said. "But she was very much a disciplinarian. She got her boys into sports and kept them focused on their studies."

While raising her sons in River Forest, Mrs. Dillon got a master's degree in education from Northeastern Illinois State College and then became a grade school teacher in the western suburbs. On weekends and during the summer, she taught tennis at the River Forest Park District, Oak Park Tennis Club and River Forest Tennis Club.

In 1960, Mrs. Dillon began teaching social studies at Proviso East High School in Maywood and later joined the staff at Proviso West High School in Hillside. She retired from teaching in 1984.

From 1989 to 2009, Mrs. Dillon served on the River Forest Village Board, where she spearheaded efforts to improve emergency care service for residents.

"Because of Nancy, we began training our emergency personnel as paramedics, and the community greatly benefited from this," Paris said. "She helped save countless lives."

Mrs. Dillon lived for 55 years on Forest Avenue in River Forest, which this year was named Honorary Nancy Dillon Way for her years of service to the village.

"I think of all those years she taught school, taught tennis and was a village trustee," her son said. "But the amazing thing is that she never missed a Little League game or school play. She made sure she was there for us."

She is also survived by four other sons, Robert, Jr., David, Stephen and Daniel; 15 grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.

Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Wednesday in St. Luke Catholic Church, 528 Lathrop Ave., River Forest.